The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has named the British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason as its 2024 MAC Music Innovator.
The role is ‘a year-long residency that works to showcase and highlight Black leaders of classical music.’
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American orchestral leadership loves mediocrity.
SKM mediocre? That’s hilarious, you’ve really nailed it there …
“a year-long residency that works to showcase and highlight…”
Ahh I see, you mean like a trophy 😀 😀 😀
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra couldn’t find a US musician for the job?
He certainly is deserving. Spreading his wings but a shame that Brits seem to think they gave to go to the America’s whereas the American & Canadians seem to think they must go to the UK.
MUSIC truly is an International language. I wonder how many more of the Kannah-Mason’s will leave for the US?
Has he ‘left for the US’? It is a one-year residency (which doesn’t necessarily mean living there full-time). He has an international career, but as far as I know he is still based in the UK.
A soloist doing a residency with an orchestra typically means doing a couple weeks over a season – maybe 2-3 concerto appearances, some chamber music with orchestra members, master classes, and in this case I would assume outreach to some non-traditional audiences. Sounds like a great way to spend time if you’re normally shuttling between airports and hotels.
To what use?
For all the sins that white people have committed in recent centuries.
Many good White people have contributed to society and have made the world a better place.
So, you agree he is a punishment?
Undoubtedly he’s a very good cellist but he’s being brought here for the wrong reasons. US liberals are obsessed with identity, tokenism, and have constant White guilt. Orchestral administrators think programming nothing but White European composers is somehow ‘racist’ even though Beethoven and Mozart had nothing to do with the slave trade. Oh and wearing white tie and tails is elitist and classist!
Check the demographics of Cincinnati. If a symphony orchestra is to serve the entire community, why not show the more than 50% non-white population what Black leaders in classical music are doing?
Your information is not relevant. The population of the Cincinnati metropolitan area is 77% White.
https://censusreporter.org/profiles/31000US17140-cincinnati-oh-ky-in-metro-area/
Amazingly sad the comments section. My goodness-It’s just a one year residency that will give a younger audience exposure to classical music. Isn’t that what is needed for this music to make an impact on the future? And yes SKM is incredibly talented and so much more growing to do, and he will be known as one of the great cellists of this generation, no thanks to the many bigots that grace the seats of concert halls.
BTW I grew up in Cincinnati, performed with the CSO and was mentored by members of the orchestra who made sure I received free tickets to as many concerts as I wanted. I’m indebted to that orchestra for so much. And as a black man, I am proud of them for landing Sheku, a move that will inspire so many children as I was.
He’s a good cellist- talented guy- but is he that good?! But he’s hardly Jacqueline Du Pre- lets be honest. Maybe his ‘colour’ is giving him opportunities denied to others- maybe not?
I heard him play the ‘Du Pre concerto’ by Elgar at Hollywood Bowl and thought he was good but nothing to write home about. Makes you wonder about his newfound celebrity status as a doyen in woke America.